Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional medical and nursing staff that have been recruited at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, County Laois, in 2015 to date; the plans for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43005/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Significant developments have been undertaken to strengthen the governance and management model at the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise. This includes the appointment of a General Manager and Director of Nursing and a clear governance relationship within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

A key focus for the management team is on the ongoing recruitment and retention of staff for the hospital. This is being undertaken on an ongoing basis to fill vacant positions as they arise. In nursing the hospital has recruited:

- 16 Midwifery staff,

- 3 Emergency Department Nursing Staff,

- an advanced Nurse Practitioner, and

- Clinical Nurse Specialists in Palliative Care and Respiratory Care.

Key Clinical appointments include additional consultant posts in Anaesthetics, Surgery, physician with interest in Endocrinology, and a Paediatrician. The Hospital has also recruited an additional Occupational Therapist and Pharmacist.

A workforce plan is currently being developed to identify staffing requirements for 2016.